Showing blog posts tagged with Obama

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, "President Obama eloquently and forcefully advocated for working families throughout his State of the Union Address," last night. He also said:

The president’s focus on raising wages through collective bargaining, better paying jobs, a fairer tax code, fair overtime rules, and expanded access to education and earned leave sent the right message at the right time.

In his State of the Union address tonight, we’re hoping President Barack Obama will talk about raising wages, making sure Fast Track doesn’t mean more failed trade policies that will hurt workers and other vital working family issues. Watch the address or follow our live Twitter feed (after the jump) and play our #winSOTU bingo game to see what President Obama says about the state of our union for working families. You can download your bingo card here (and be sure to tweet with the #winSOTU hashtag).

This morning we shared with you (click here) what workers want President Obama to talk about in his State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Now, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka weighs in with this audio message (see above) highlighting many of the president’s successes this past year. He also underscores the challenges working people still face and the work that needs to be done.

Listen to the message, then tell us what you want President Obama to talk about in the State of the Union address by texting WORK to 235246.

In tomorrow night’s State of the Union address, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka wants to hear President Barack Obama outline a “serious plan” to raise the minimum wage and create good jobs through education and infrastructure investments; a blueprint to end economic inequality; and an end to separating immigrant families from each other through deportation.

With the debate in Washington set to return to the budget and the economy after the August congressional recess, President Obama today said, “The stakes for our middle class could not be higher.” In the first of several speeches set for coming weeks on the economy, Obama told the audience at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., that because of a Republican-led "endless parade of distractions, political posturing and phony scandals, Washington has taken its eye off the ball."

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement in response to President Obama's 2013 State of the Union address:

"Tonight President Obama sent a clear message to the world that he will stand and fight for working America’s values and priorities. And with the foundation he laid, working families will fight by his side to build an economy that works for all."

On Tuesday, President Obama will give the first State of the Union Address of his second term in office and working families are happy to hear the focus will be jobs and the economy. This year’s address comes after an election in which America’s families made a clear choice between very different visions for the country.

Across the country, working people will be watching and listening with great interest for the president to maintain the values and priorities on which they elected him, including a commitment to creating middle-class jobs, asking the wealthiest 2% to pay their fair share and protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from benefit cuts.

President Obama intends to push quickly to fix America's broken immigration system, according to The New York Times, including a path to citizenship—the core of the AFL-CIO's immigration reform agenda.

The website The Root and AFL-CIO and SEIU staff members in Pennsylvania report an email and Facebook posting seemingly aimed at African American voters warning them not to vote an automatic “straight Democratic” ticket because it supposedly would not include President Obama.

Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania voter was told he would not be allowed to vote unless he removed a shirt with President Obama’s name on it. The AFL-CIO Voter Protection rapid response team reports both issues have been resolved.

After you vote Nov. 6 (if you haven't voted already), join us on the AFL-CIO Now blog for live coverage and an interactive chat on Election Day, starting at 9 a.m. ET. We'll be providing updates from the states, info on voter protection and the inside scoop on what we're hearing from America's workers and union members. Bookmark www.aflcio.org/Election2012Live or sign up for an email reminder below.